Mining-machine



N. PED UL LA. MINING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED DEC.22, I9I9. 1,358,984, Patented Nov. 16, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I- N. PEDULLA.

MINING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED 050.22, 1919.

Patented Nov. 16, 1920.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

/.'VI 'ENTOR PATENT OFFICE.

NIcoLA rEDULLA, or MACDONALDTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

MINING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 16, 1920.

Application fi1ed December 22, 1919. Serial No. 346,465.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NIOOLA PEDULLA, a citizen of the United States,residing at Macclonaldton, in the county of Somerset and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mining-Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

This invention relates to machines for mining soft coal or other substances, and has for its object to provide a simple form of machine which can be easily handled and operated or controlled by a single workman.

It is the aim of the invention to produce a small machine having a small number of boring tools simultaneously actuated by an electric motor, to providea simple form of driving means between the motor and tools, and to supply means for enabling the operator to advance or move the machine and hold it in proper position during each cuting operation. Another object is to provide means for adjusting the motor on the machine to take up slack in the sprocket chain which is used as the driving medium be tween the motor and boring tools. Other objects will appear as the description proceeds.

The invention will be first hereinafter described in connection with the accompanying drawings, which constitute part of this specification, and then more specifically defined in the claims at the end of the descrip tion.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein similar reference characters are used to designate corresponding parts throughout the several views Figure 1 is a side elevation of a coal cutting machine constructed substantially in accordance with this invention, said machine being shown supported in position as when cutting a kerf about half way up a wall of coal.

Fig. 2 is a plan View of the machine with the ends of the tool-carrying shafts being broken away.

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing parts in section and the tools on the ends of the shafts.

Fig. 4 is a section on the line IV-IV of Fig. 3 and Fig. 5 is an enlarged detailed section through the key connection of the beveled pinion on one of the tool-carrymg shafts,

said shaft being also shown in engagement sometimes advantageous.

with the bearing member extending across the front end of the machine casing.

A rectangular box or casing l carries the operating parts of the machine and is mounted on wheels 2 placed one about mid way of each side, as shown, so that said casmg may be rocked or tilted on said wheels if desired during the operation of the machine for directing the boring tools along a slight upward or downward incline as is Extending into the casing 1 and projecting from the front end thereof is a bearing member i preferably of skeleton form, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3, for reducing the weight thereof. A plurality of shafts 5, of which three are illustrated in the present embodiment of the invention, extend through passages in said bearing member 4 and have their rear ends fitted or bearing in sockets 6 in the back end of the casing. Said shafts are enlarged, as at 3 between the front and rear ends of the casing and are retained against axial movement by said sockets 6 and the reduced forwardly extending portions 7 which fit in the bearing member 4:.

On the front end portions 7 of the shafts 5 are mounted boring tools or bits 8 having flared cutting ends 9 which overlap each other, the middle one being slightly in advance of the others, as shown in Fig. 3, so that said bits will make a continuous kerf in the wall of coal as at 10 in Fig. 1. The shafts are rotated by means of beveled pinions 11, one of which is keyed on each of the shafts, as at 12 in Fig. 5, said pinions meshing respectively with other beveled pinions 18 carried by short vertical shafts 14 journaled in the top 15 of the casing 1 and having sprocket wheels 16 mounted on their upper ends above the top of the casing, see Fig. 4. A sprocket chain 17 is passed around all of the sprocket wheels 16 on the three vertical shafts l4 and also around a sprocket wheel 18 mounted on the armature shaft 19 of an electric motor 20 which is supported on a bracket 21 rising from the top 15 of the casing 1. The chain 17 may be tightened to take up slack by adjusting the motor toward or away from the sprocket wheels 16. For this purpose, the bracket 21 is adjustably secured to the top of the casing by bolts 22 passed through slots 23, and an adjusting screw 24 is swiveled to the bracket 21 and threaded in the standard 25. When the bolts 22 are loosened, the bracket 21 and motor carried thereby may be adjusted by turning the screw 24, afterwhich the bolts 22 may be tightened to retain the new'adjustni'ent.

The middle one of the vertlcal shafts la is arranged slightly in advance of the others so as to insure the proper engagement of all of the sprocket wheels by the sprocket chain. The pinions 11 are keyed on the shafts '5 to mesh with the pinions 13 on the vertical shafts 14c. The sprocket wheels 16 are preferably covered by a protective cage 27 to exclude coal dust and dirt there-from, said cage. or cover 27 extending over a considerable portion of the sprocket chain as well.

In operation, the machine is placed upon a suitable platform 28, Fig. 1, at the proper 7 level in the mine chamber, the machine belngshown in position for cutting a keri about half way up the wall of coal.

Handles 29 are pivoted at 30 to the sides of wheels when the rear ends of said handles are pressed upward, thereby enabling the operator to overcome the tendency of the machine to move backward when the boring tools are being fed forward against the wall of coal. The interior of the casing may be kept supplied with suflicient oil or grease to lubricate the shafts and pinions, said lubricant being introduced through a filling opening or nozzle 32 in the top 15. of the casing 1 as shown in Fig. 2.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. In a mining machine of the character described, the combination with a casing, of a plurality of boring tools, and means for rotating said tools comprising pinions connected tothe tools, vertical shafts journaled in the'casing, pinions on the-lower ends of said shafts and meshing with the pinions connected to the tools, horizontal sprocket wheels on the upper ends of; said vertical shafts, a horizontal driven sprocket wheel also mounted on the casing in the plane of the other sprocket wheels, and a sprocket chain passed around all of the sprocket wheels for simultaneously actuating all of the tools. 7

' 2. In a mining machine, the combination with a casing, of a plurality of borin tools, horizontal sprocket wheels operatively connectedwfor driving said tools and all arranged in the same plane, a motor horizontally adjustable on the machine, a sprocket wheel on the armature shaft of the 'motor and arranged in the plane'ofthe other sprocket wheels, and a sprocket chain passed around all of said sprocket wheels for the purpose specified;

In testimony whereof I have name to this specification.

' N IC OLA PEDULLA.

signed my 7 

